CalWORKS 2.0

Background

There
have been significant efforts made over the past few years to develop a new
approach to delivering services to our CalWORKs families. This effort,
referred to as CalWORKs 2.0, combines all we’ve learned over the past 20 years
with new evidence on ways to deliver services more effectively to families
whose lives are negatively affected by living in poverty. CW 2.0 has
incorporated emerging research and evidence on brain science, behavioral
science and best practices on how adults learn and build critical skills into
this new program model.

Goals

CalWORKs
2.0 focuses on improving outcomes for our families, especially those we have
failed to reach using our current approach. The new approach focuses on
helping people set and achieve goals, which will require an environment with
flexibility and support, and a shift from directive case management to
individualized case management focused on goals. Behavioral science has shown
that people living in poverty have a limited ability to see and plan for the future.
By helping people set meaningful and realistic goals, this helps build
confidence, motivation, and the ability to build core skills.

Using
this new framework, several new tools have been developed that will assist
staff in implementing the new concepts and approaches with families.